


The Final Touch

by Delphini_Smyth



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: #bartycrouchjunior, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:07:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27051637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delphini_Smyth/pseuds/Delphini_Smyth
Summary: Melanie Malfoy, daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy wants to marry Barty Crouch Jr. Her father has to agree for the marriage first... Meanwhile Melanie, Barty and other Death Eaters are chosen in the important mission for the Dark Lord before he finally rises to power. Will they succeed in the task? First Wizarding War Era.
Relationships: Bartemius Crouch Jr./Original Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9
Collections: Knockturn Tricks or Diagon Treats





	The Final Touch

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [KnockturnTricksOrDiagonTreats](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/KnockturnTricksOrDiagonTreats) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Trick: Blood

Chapter One

Melanie Malfoy paced nervously around the mansion. She kept repeating to herself that there was nothing to worry about, that her father Lucius had known for a long time that she and Barty Crouch Jr. were a couple ... although at first he found it hard to accept that fact. As if he had a grudge against Barty. It was no different with Barty himself. However, over time, the two accepted each other, and their cooperation (both were the Death Eaters) appeared to be more superior.  
Except now Barty is going to ask her father for permission to marry her. If Lucius didn't agree ... Melanie didn't even want to think about it. She kept telling herself that perhaps-her-future-husband and her father were already on good terms. However, Lucius could be unpredictable, she knew it herself. Yesterday she heard him say to her mother that they should try to have another child, that he hopes for a son. And yet not so long ago, he claimed that their daughter would be enough for all their children.  
The girl slipped silently to the bar, her father's favourite place. She poured herself a good deal of cognac, then sat down in a brass chair enjoying the drink. The alcohol in flowing in her blood calmed her a little. However, after a while, her peace was broken as she heard her parents heading for the large room where she was, just now. With a speed she would not have suspected herself, she got up and hid with a glass of cognac behind a large, antique sculpture.  
Lucius walked over to the bar, poured himself a glass of the same drink, though filling it to the brim. He then sat down on the brass chair Melanie had just sat on. Narcissa took the seat next to him.  
"Melanie's acting rather suspiciously, Narcissa." She's too polite these days. In addition, she helps me with everything, and that's nothing like her. I'm afraid it has to do with this Crouch.  
Narcissa laughed to herself, but only her daughter noticed it.  
"Yes, he's a pureblood wizard, but why him?"  
"Why not, Lucius? I don't know what your cooperation for the Dark Lord looks like, but you have prejudiced against him. He's a decent boy, from a good home”  
“Who happened to say that I am blaming my work on others, and I'm a fucking coward”.  
Melanie struggled to suppress a laugh. Barty was absolutely right, she had known it since she became a Death Eater herself. However, he never told her about the incident. He probably noticed that she was so after her father. Which didn't mean she couldn't make an objective assessment.  
Narcissa made a face titled you-know-he-may-be-right, which Lucius noticed.  
"You agree with him," it wasn't a question, the man stated a fact. Both women knew what would happen next. Lucius will be offended with his wife for a while.  
"I didn't say anything like that," Narcissa replied quickly, "Bartemius must have said it for a reason, however. You can't think of why?”  
"He's jealous of my position and charisma," he replied with impeccable pride.  
Narcissa quickly sensed that all she could do at that moment was to agree with her husband.  
“Of course. However, your relationship has improved”  
Lucius thought about it, then drank his cognac.  
"Crouch helped me with a task that was very important to the Dark Lord." He did it voluntarily, and I am grateful to him for that. I doubt he would do it out of respect for me, though. Which brings us to the topic I raised at the beginning”.  
Narcissa took her husband's hands.  
“Lucius, they are made for each other. You cannot forbid them from loving for private reasons”  
The man looked at her in surprise. However, to Melanie's delight, he was obviously in agreement with her mother.  
Melanie's parents' conversation changed track, and Melanie herself was quietly drinking alcohol, whether she liked it or not, listening to their conversation. Suddenly the doorbell rang. The girl's heart skipped a beat. Lucius walked over to the entrance and Melanie took the opportunity to leave the hiding place. She quickly hid the glass behind the couch, meeting her mother's reproachful gaze.  
Lucius entertained his visitor with a conversation for a moment. From the living room it was impossible to hear what they were talking about. After a while, Melanie's father invited the guest to the living room. Barty Crouch Junior smiled brightly at the sight of her, then bowed at the sight of Narcissa.  
“What brings you to us, Crouch?” Lucius asked, trying to be polite.  
Melanie and Barty exchanged quick glances.  
“I came to see Melanie, Mr. Malfoy. We haven't seen each other for a long time and ...”  
“You met two days ago”  
“Oh, Dad, it's been forever”  
"Lucius, you remember when we used to meet. Just one day of separation was unbearable”. Narcissa supported her daughter with a gentle smile. But Lucius did not lose his vigilance  
“You don't want to tell me something?” He asked, looking from his daughter to Barty.  
There was a moment of embarrassing silence. Melanie began tapping her fingers nervously on the table, which did not escape her father's notice. Barty, on the other hand, became as stiff as a statue, unable to move. Lucius's face seemed to say "I was right, so there is something to it." Finally Barty, with a fit of courage, recovered from his numb state and began to speak.  
“Mr. Malfoy, I’ve been seeing your daughter for two years. She is my whole world. I couldn't imagine even a second without her, and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with her”  
This time it was Lucius who stiffened like a statue. It might seem that he would not move or speak anymore. Barty took Melanie's hand, then spoke the words she had been waiting so much for.  
“I am asking for your blessing. I wish Melanie would be my wife”  
The silence that followed was worse for Melanie than anything she had experienced in her life. Her father didn't move or speak, he didn't even seem to blink. Black scenarios of refusal, which she would not have survived, began to swell in the girls' heads. She looked at her father pleadingly, and Lucius noticed the look. He also needed to see how tense she was, to understand how much it meant to her, as he smiled slightly and broke free from his numb state.  
"Barty Crouch Junior," he addressed the boy with his full name for the first time, and the boy shifted abruptly in the seat.  
A moment more and my father's alcohol will boil from this tense atmosphere, Melanie thought. She glanced diagonally at her mother, who was the only one to be calm. Only now did she realize that her father must have gone through the same, asking her grandfather for a blessing, and that he understood the situation well. Even so, she honestly doubted he'd ever called her grandfather a fucking coward. The girl swallowed loudly. The incident must have happened while they didn't know each other or were just starting to get to know each other. However, her father does not forget about such things. Even so, she knew well that he loved her more than anything else. She knows how happy she is with Bartry. Is it enough to make him agree?  
“There were many misunderstandings between us, but I think that the fault lies on both sides. All I care about is my daughter's well-being. I see that you are doing well together and she is happy with you. And you are the right pureblood candidate for her. Therefore, I decide to put aside everything that used to be our differences, and I consent to your marriage”  
Barty smiled radiantly and for a moment looked as if he was about to kiss Lucius. Melanie smiled too, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. Her father noticed this and his emotion left him speechless. Narcissa congratulated them both by hugging Baty and saying "welcome to the family." It all seemed like a beautiful dream to Melanie that she was about to wake up from.  
Lucius poured each one a glass of cognac, then the four of them plunged into lively conversation, planning the wedding in detail. When Barty's father's name was mentioned, the boy clearly became sad. Melanie took his hand. She had already met Mr. Crouch and had to admit that he had not seen such an unpleasant and distant person. He didn't seem to love his son at all.  
“My father wouldn’t mind the marriage. He respects your family and thinks Melanie is a good choice”.  
"Excellent," Lucius noticed that Barty's father topic was not easy and did not continue the conversation.  
Aside from that small detail, the future looked bright and the newly engaged couple were all too happy.

Chapter two

The sun was setting, coloring the hills a picturesque orange. A pretty girl with platinum hair swept through the large brass gate that protected a beautiful mansion in the southern England.  
Melanie convinced her parents that she was staying with Diana, Yaxley's daughter. The girl has already moved out of the house, which will make it easier to keep the lie a secret. After graduating from Hogwarts, Diana began working in the ministry in the Department of Wizarding Law Enforcement, just like her father. She and Melanie still maintain a friendship that began at Hogwarts.  
The girl deported herself next to a small house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She knocked on the door that her fiance opened. They both lost themselves in their eyes, happy to see each other again. Barty took her hand, then kissed it, keeping eye contact with the girl.  
“I'm glad you're here. I missed you so much” the boy smiled slightly, inviting her inside.  
"It seems like an eternity has passed, doesn't it?" the girl crossed a small corridor, heading to a larger room, which was a living room.  
"Indeed," Barty stopped his fiancée, then stroked her cheek. The two approached each other until their faces were a few centimeters apart. After a while, they began to kiss, at first delicately, and then putting more and more affection and passion into it.  
When Melanie kissed Barty, the whole world ceased to exist. There was only him, his wonderful taste that was hard to compare with anything else, and the beautiful smell of the expensive, tasteful perfume that her father liked too. The girl suspected that, unlike her father, Barty only used them during meetings with her.  
Neither of them wanted to finish the kiss. They could go on like this, tasting themselves and getting to know each other. They had the house for each other and no one could stop them. They were happy.  
After a long time that seemed too short for Melanie anyway, they moved away from each other. Barty invited his fiancée to the living room. The interior of the room was kept in tones of red and black. The floor was rugged red carpet. At two opposite ends were black leather sofas, and between them was a fairly large table in a shade of dark, almost black, brown. On the table was a vase of red roses and two glasses of bubbly champagne. A black crystal ashtray and a pack of cigarettes have traditionally been placed between the glasses.  
Barty took one of the roses from the vase and handed it to his fiancée. The girl sniffed the flower, absorbing its sweet scent. She was touched for this gesture as red roses were one of her favorite flowers.  
“Would you like champagne?” Barty smiled nonchalantly.  
"I'd love to," Melanie smiled back, then put the rose back in the vase.  
They both sat side by side on the couch. Melanie folded her hands over her matte black dress, trying to hide her nervousness. She knew the night wouldn't end with kisses. She had waited for this moment, but now she felt a growing unease. What if it doesn't live up to Barty's expectations? What if she fails in this area?  
She remembers her conversation with Diana at Hogwarts. She was in fifth grade then, and her friend was in her senior year. Diana walked over to her in the Slytherin dorm and, with a flushed face, announced:  
“You will not believe what happened! Me and Marcus ... we, well…”  
“Let it out!” Melanie nudged her friend's side.  
Diana bit her lip, then looked around her.  
“ Well ... I'm not a virgin anymore”  
Melanie put her hand to her mouth, then began to bombard her friend with questions.  
“ Calm down. I'll tell you everything in order. It was wonderful ... We were in the prefects' bathroom and I got very upset when I realized why he had invited me there. However, after a while, I got carried away. I didn't even notice when we were naked and starting ... you know. Honestly, I expected it to be a lot worse. Apparently the first time is always painful, but I didn't feel anything”  
The girls chuckled when a group of boys suddenly entered the dormitory. One of them gave a long whistle when he saw them. The girls looked at him coldly, then whispering among themselves headed towards the girls' bedrooms ...  
“Are you all right? You seem nervous” Barty successfully snapped her out of her thoughts.  
“You’re mistaken”  
Barty reached for a cigarette. He lit it. He knew exactly what was going on and he understood his fiancée well. After a moment he put his cigarette back on the ashtray and took Melanie's hands.  
“This is our first night together and I want you to feel happy. We have a great future ahead of us. I'm not doing anything you don't want to do. We don't have to go to bed right away. Your mere presence is enough for me” the boy took a glass of champagne “Let's drink for us”  
The glasses rattled as they clinked. As Melanie drank, she noticed that it was her favorite champagne. Barty did his best. She was grateful to him for what he said. He understands her so well and does not pressurize, as other boys would certainly have done in his place.  
“I'm nervous because this will be my first time. However, I want this. I want you, Barty. I am eager to know and taste every piece of your body. I'm just afraid that I won't live up to your expectations”  
Barty smiled slightly at the words as he reached for his cigarette again. Melanie has also captured his desires. As soon as he met her, there was an instant fire between them. After a while, he knew that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, sharing all his good times and bad.  
“You don't have to worry about that. You are the best in everything you do. Anyway, what else would I expect from Ms. Malfoy?”  
“Soon I'll be Mrs. Crouch” at the sound of her new surname, Melanie's heart skipped a beat.  
"Mrs. Crouch, will you honor me and dance with me?" Barty stood up, offering her his hand. Melanie took it. The sounds of classical music flowed from the old gramophone. The couple started dancing slowly to the beat.  
"Mrs. Crouch, you look stunning today" Barty whispered in her ear.  
Classical music was over. Now the notes of the opera were played, for which Melanie had inherited love from her parents.  
“And your appearance, Mr. Crouch, would win many hearts”  
“I only need to win one” Barty approached the fiancée, brushing her lips with his.  
“Really? Who could this lucky girl be?” Melanie put her arms around his waist.  
“Someone with whom I will spend the rest of my life with inexpressible joy”  
“I think you have already won her heart” she whispered  
They started kissing, this time differently than before. The kisses were very passionate. Barty stroked his fiancée's hair, inhaling their sweet scent. Then he reached his hands to her back, unzipping her dress. Melanie didn't owe him and in the interval between kisses, she began to unbutton his shirt. The girl's dress landed on the ground. Barty stroked her hair, brushing her hair back and exposing her breasts. But he did not touch them. He just looked at them, then stroked the girl's cheek.  
“Shall we go to the bedroom?”  
Melanie nodded. They were led away by the beautiful sounds of the opera, the soft sounds of which could be heard even in the next room.  
Barty was lying on the bed, tasting more and more recesses of his fiancée's body. He gently stroked her breasts. Then he started kissing her body, kissing her lower and lower. Melanie felt his kisses on the pedestrian chest, on her stomach ... after a while she felt them in her private places. She indulged in the caresses, getting to know Barty in a way she hadn't been given before. After a while she felt his wet, rough tongue begin to taste what belonged only to him ...  
Time seems to have stopped. Melanie could stay that way forever, indulging in pleasure. But she knew this was just the beginning. Barty started kissing her again. The girl wrapped her legs around his body, waiting for the moment she dreamed about since they exchanged the first kiss. She stroked his blonde hair, whispering his name. She felt a huge rush of relaxation as he entered her, returning her kisses. The opera, the sounds of which could still be heard, took on ever higher tones...

Chapter three

Two figures appeared, masked and in elegant black coats, at the brass ornate gate that protected the entrance to the Malfoy mansion. There was a rustle somewhere in the bushes. Both people raised their wands.  
“Yaxley and his daughter, Diana! Thank you for the nice welcome” one might think that a smile appeared behind the mask of the newcomer.  
"Hello, McNair," replied sharply masked Death Eater who might have been none other than Yaxley.  
"There are rumors that today the Dark Lord will select some of us for a special assignment. I'm sure I'll be one of them”  
"I doubt that, looking at your recent work," Yaxley said coldly. One could have sworn McNair's hand twitched towards the wand.  
“Well, McNair, time will tell. We should go to the mansion” replied the masked Death Eater who was Yaxley's daughter.  
By the time the three Death Eaters were in the enormous dining room, almost all of the rest were there. Yaxley and his daughter took their places alongside the Malfoy family. McNair took his seat further down the table.  
The dark atmosphere was accompanied by the sound of quiet conversations and murmurs. Barty had a lively discussion with Melanie, who was sitting next to him. Diana watched them, but since they were separated by three places occupied by her father and the Malfoys, she couldn't hear, much less accompany the conversation.  
After a while, all conversations and murmurs ceased. Lod Voldemort appeared in the doorway. Some Death Eaters looked down, others looked at their leader with a mixture of reverence and admiration. Melanie and Barty were in the second category.  
“Welcome, Death Eaters. I am coming to you with joyful news. We are really close to absolute power!”  
At these words, the crowd of Death Eaters burst into joy. Some applauded, others hugged each other brotherly or whistled. There was such a buzzing that the great serpent of the Dark Lord, Nagini, hissed impatiently. It was only when Lord Voldemort cleared his throat that there was deathly silence.  
“However, in order to enjoy fully gained power, we need to take a few more steps. Therefore, today I am appointing some trusted Death Eaters to an important task, the details of which I will explain to you now”  
Voldemort's followers looked at each other in nervous excitement. Melanie and Barty took their hands under the table. The girl knew how important it was for a boy to get a role in this task.  
“A group of people from the Order of the Phoenix, including Longbotton, Potters and Sirius Black...”  
At the hearing of these names, insults were made by the Death Eaters, some of whom spat with disgust. The Dark Lord silenced them with a gesture of his hand.  
“So these people are meeting today in the pub “Under the Three Broomsticks” to discuss the details of an important plan for their group, which Rowle informed me about”  
Thorfinn Rowle pushed his chest proudly, and Dolohov, seated beside him, patted him on the shoulder.  
"The Death Eaters I assign will be to eavesdrop on their conversation and then extract any remaining information from them are Yaxley, his daughter, Dolohov, Crouch, Melanie Malfoy, Gibbon and Rodolphus Lestange.”  
The chosen Death Eaters reacted with an outburst of joy. Melanie whispered to Barty, "I knew you could make it."  
“You're leaving tomorrow night. I hope you will find information useful for our cause. And now a few more adverts ...”  
The dark meeting continued in a tension with nervous anticipation.  
***  
The next evening, the chosen Death Eaters appeared in front of the "Under the Three Brooms" pub.  
“So the plan is as follows. One of us will come under the invisibility cloak and overhear their conversations. According to Crouch, those in the order are to go to the Forbidden Forest later to practice spells. We'll get them there and we'll get any more information” Dolohov said. The rest of the Death Eaters nodded silently  
“I can go. I have the Invisibility Cloak with me” Diana replied.  
“Then we are waiting for you in this place. Good luck”  
After about forty minutes, a group of Death Eaters heard Diana's voice.  
“I have the information we need. You won't believe what they are planning ... I'll tell you the details later. But they didn’t tell everything, probably scared that someone might hear them. We have to hurry to their spot by the Forbidden Forest, they'll be there soon”  
Yaxley extinguish his cigarette, then whispered to the rest.  
“Let's hurry. It would be best if we surround them. Malfoy, Crouch and Lestrange will go from the east side, me, Diana, Dolohov and Gibbon will go from the west”  
Crouch was not pleased that he and Melanie would be the last to hear of information from the order, but the plan made sense. The group of dark wizards and witches split up.  
After about ten minutes, three of them were there. The rest of the group were not visible. But in the distance they saw people from the order practicing some spells. The three of them hid behind trees, silently walking closer. Rowle's information was correct. There were the same people in the clearing that he mentioned.  
“We're waiting for the rest. Me and Melanie will take the Potters” Barty said.  
“You're joking aren't you? It is the greatest fun to defeat them” Rodolphus replied.  
“Let's not argue now. After all, your wife has a conflict with Black. She'd be grateful for you to finish him off” Melanie replied.  
“Perhaps. Where are the rest? They should be here a long time ago. Let's get closer. ”Rodolphus walked a bit, then tripped over a branch, cursing loudly.  
“Did you hear that?” Lily Potter asked, pointing in their direction.  
"Great" Barty muttered, holding out his wand. Melanie did the same.  
"Lumos," James, Sirius, and Lily whispered, walking towards them. The Longbotton were left behind, ready.  
Barty waited until they got close enough.  
“Who is there?” James Potter muttered, coming dangerously close.  
“Crucio!” the unforgivable torture spell knocked Potter to the ground.  
Sirius and Lily aimed at Barty. Melanie struck Lily with the same spell.  
“Confringo!” Rodolphus hit Sirius. The spell was accompanied by a bang and a fair amount of smoke. After a while you could see Sirius lying limp without an arm and with a torn leg apart.  
At the sight, James fought the torture spell and roared at Rodolphus, but Barty  
effectively prevented him from doing so. The two wizards started a duel.  
Melanie had fun torturing Lily, but her idyll was quickly interrupted by the Longbottoms.  
They aimed at her, but were stopped by Rodolphus.  
Lily used Melanie's moment of inattention to cast an expeliarmus spell.  
“Expulso!” Melanie cast the spell too late, and Rodolphus' wand landed somewhere in  
Forbidden Forest. Her spell was stopped by the Longbotton.  
“They have an advantage!” She shouted to Barty, who was doing great in the duel with Potter. She tried unsuccessfully to spot the rest. Where the hell are they?  
The girl tried in vain to keep the Longbotton and Lily Potter from Barty and protect Rodolphus. She had no chance on her own. Then things happened very quickly.  
“Flagrante!” Alice Longbottom fired a spell into Melanie's wand, which immediately became hot. The girl let it out with a scream. Rodolphus unexpectedly took a sharp dagger from his pocket and threw it at Alice. Lily immediately cast a spell that changed the flight of the tool ... with unforeseen results. The dagger hit Melanie in the chest.  
Barty screamed, throwing a spell at James which made him fall to the ground, unconscious. The Longbottoms and Lily pointed their wands at him, Rodophus lunged at Frank, knocking him to the ground and ripping his wand off. Before anyone could do anything, more people appeared in the clearing. Yaxley, Diana, Dolohov and Gibbon attacked the people from the order, Rodolphus also joined the fight using Frank's wand. Now it was the Death Eaters who had a significant advantage.  
However, Barty was unable to fight. He knelt down to Melanie, who laid in a pool of blood. The boy pulled out his wand, trying to stop the bleeding with a healing spell.

“Melanie, I beg you, don't leave me. Please, you can do it, you have to live. Think of me, think of Lucius, Narcissa ... You can't leave us”  
“Barty ... I love you more than anything, remember that. But I don't have the strength to fight anymore. Forgive me. Tell my parents that I didn't want to leave them. Take care of them” after these words, the girl's head fell limp, like a rag doll.  
Barty howled like a wounded animal, then burst into a sob. Moments later, Frank Longbottons body fell beside him.  
“Are you crazy? We are to get information out of them, not kill them, Lestrange!” Yaxley roared. He quieted down when he saw Barty.  
"Do something useful for once and help Crouch get her to St. Mungus Hospital."  
“For once?” Rodolphus replied, but he leaned over Crouch and the unconscious Melanie.  
When he saw him, Barty gritted his teeth and pointed his wand at him.  
"What went off in your head, throwing a dagger carelessly?" he roared.  
“Hey, hey, take it easy. After all, I wasn't targeting her. Instead of fighting me, help me take your fiancée to the hospital. Perhaps there is a chance that she will survive”  
Barty picked up Melanie, her arms and legs hanging like a rag doll's. Tears still ran down his cheeks. He looked around. The fight was over, and the Death Eaters, torturing people from the order, were extracting information from them. After a while, he and Rodolphus teleported to the hospital of St. Mungus.

Chapter four

Barty was sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. Rodolphus sat down next to him and patted him on the shoulder.  
“Brother, forgive me. That Longbotton bitch took my wand ... I had no idea what was going to happen”  
Barty lowered his hand and looked at him with red eyes.  
“If she dies ... I'll kill you, Lestrange”  
“You must be kidding. I was aiming for that fucking bitch, how was I supposed to know she was going to use a spell like that? It's not my fault! Is Melanie…”  
“I don't know, they won't let me find out. I'm not her husband yet. Be useful for something and go to Lucius. Tell him what happened”  
Rodolphus nodded and disappeared. Barty was left alone with his terrifying thoughts. If Melanie dies, it's over. He couldn't imagine his life without her. He didn't even want to know what Lucius would think. After all, she was under his protection! As his fiancé, it was up to him to protect her, and he just fought this useless Potter ...  
He remembered their last night, their kisses, and he sobbed again.  
***  
“Where is she my daughter? “the scream of pale as ghost Lucius Malfoy made Barty almost fall off his chair.  
“Stay calm, Lucius. I'm going to get a doctor”  
“How can I be calm, Lestrange? My daughter is dying” he whispered, with such despair in his voice that Barty and Rodolphus would prefer him to scream again. Rodolphus hugged Lucius, who was as numb as a wall, then disappeared down the hall.  
They were left alone. Barty looked into Lucius's red eyes with difficulty, feeling tears streaming back into his eyes.  
"Mr. Malfoy, I beg for your forgiveness, even though I know I don’t deserve it. I should have taken care of Melanie, especially on her first such important assignment ... there were many more of them than us, and we split up and ...”  
“I know, Crouch. Rodolphus told me everything. It's not your fault”.  
Lucius was staring blankly at the wall.  
“Melanie always wanted to be like me ... I impressed her. That's why she decided to become a Death Eater. And I agreed” the man hid his face in his hands “How could I be so stupid ...”  
Barty stared blankly at his future father-in-law, wondering what he might say to cheer him up.  
“Serving the Dark Lord always has its consequences. Risk is one of them. But you shouldn't regret Melanie turned into a Death Eater. It's a great honor and…”  
"What honor do I have if my daughter dies!" Lucius exploded, sobbing.  
“It's not certain. When she was hurt, I ran to her and used a healing spell. It helped stop the bleeding, but it didn't completely heal the wound. I was taking healing lessons in this hospital. Maybe it will save her life”  
Lucius looked at him with maniacal hope. His gaze terrified Barty. He had never seen Mr. Malfoy like this. He thought how his father would react in his place, and he felt a severe pain. Surely he would be glad to know he was gone. No, it's not time to think about it now.  
Rodolphus and a woman with jet black hair tied in a loose bun and brown eyes appeared in the hallway. When he saw her, Lucius got up. His hands were shaking like paralytic’s, but he ignored it.  
“Mr. Malfoy. Are you Melanie's father?”  
Lucius nodded, then said:  
“How does she feel? Please tell me that everything will be fine”  
“Melanie is seriously injured, but thanks to the healing spell that was used, she has a chance to survive tonight. The spell was perfectly aimed, it saved her life. The woman is unconscious, however, and may remain so for the next few days. We're doing her treatment now, so you can see her no sooner than tomorrow morning”  
The doctor smiled and then disappeared down the hall.  
Lucius stared at Barty with a speechless look that made the boy feel more and more uncomfortable.  
"You saved my daughter," he whispered, then hugged him unexpectedly, sobbing, "I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you, Barty."  
"You don't have to do anything, Mr. Malfoy. It is enough for Melanie to recover and we can get married as planned”  
“Indeed, you are the perfect candidate for her. I apologize for all our disputes”  
"I'm sorry too, Mr. Malfoy. I'm glad that has been cleared”  
"Well then we're all happy," Rodolphus muttered, smiling.  
“You are lucky it ended this way, Lestrange, otherwise ...”  
“I know. You would kill me. You're not the first to threaten me, Malfoy. "Rodolphus raised his hands defensively, then smiled." I promise you never to take a dagger to the battle again.  
Even Lucius smiled.

Epilogue 

There was a cheerful atmosphere in the great ballroom. There were Death Eaters (this time without masks and in dresses and suits instead of black coats) and close friends of the family. Everyone was waiting for the bride. The groom has already appeared, in a newly bought, expensive, black suit. Narcissa greeted him with a hug.  
“Thank you again for saving my daughter, Barty”  
“It's nothing, Mrs. Malfoy”  
“Do you already know why what hold the rest on that fateful day?”  
“Yes. Vampires. They entered their territory and had to fight them, because they wanted to bite into their necks”  
"Damn vampires ... Lucius knows one vampire well. He will explain it with her. I think it's time to stand in front of the altar. The bride should come at any time”  
Nervous anticipation filled the room. Barty walked to the altar, passing his father, who was staring at him coldly. However, his mother smiled as she wiped away tears of happiness.  
Melanie appeared. She was dressed in a beautiful wedding dress, her father was standing next to her, holding her arm. Music rang out. The bride and her father slowly approached the altar, passing smiling people on the way.  
Finally she stood in front of Barty, next to them was an employee of the Organization of Magical Marriages.  
“We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Melanie Malfoy and Bartemius Crouch Jr. If anyone has anything against this marriage, let him speak or be silent forever”  
Although Melanie was concerned that some of Barty's ex-girlfriend would show up at this point and would have something against their marriage, nothing like this happened.  
“I solemnly swear to help you love life  
lovingly embrace you  
and be patient in love.  
Speak when words are needed and keep silence when not needed.  
Respect your opinion about the cake.  
Warm yourself with your heart and always call it home.  
I solemnly swear to love you madly  
in every form.  
Now and always.  
I promise to remember  
that such love happens once in a lifetime  
And always know deep down  
that ... whatever doesn't keep us apart,  
we will find a way to each other.  
Do you take each other forever?” *  
"Yes," Melanie whispered.  
"Yes" Barty whispered.  
“As a sign of your love, exchange these wedding rings”  
Barty gently placed the gold ring on Melanie's ring finger, and she did the same.  
“You can kiss”  
Barty touched Melanie's cheek and placed a kiss on her lips.  
The audience went mad with joy. Melanie noticed that both of her parents were crying with happiness, just like Barty's mother.  
Now there was only them. Happy and inseparable. Forever.  
THE END  
* The marriage vow from the movie "The Vow"


End file.
